1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a suspension lug for a swinging load and, in particular, for an exhaust system of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a known suspension lug disclosed in German Reference No. DE 37 37 987 C2 an elastomer body of the suspension lug has a diamond-shaped outer wall, as seen from the front, and a flexible insert, which is of corresponding diamond shape so that its distance from the outer wall of the elastomer body is substantially the same everywhere. In an area of two suspension poles and in the two equatorial zones of the suspension lug the distance of the inner wall of the elastomer body from the insert is particularly great. The minimum distance between the inner wall and the insert exists approximately in the middle between each of the suspension poles and the two equatorial zones. When this known suspension lug is subjected to tensile loading as envisaged, in other words when the two suspension poles move away from each other, tensile stress results in the elastomer body outside of the insert in the area of the two suspension poles, whereas compressive stress is caused in the two equatorial zones. Within the insert, compressive stress is caused in the areas of the two suspension poles, whereas tensile stress results in the equatorial zones. The flexible insert is made of an elastically extensible material so that the excursions of the insert and the elastomer body are of a similar order of magnitude. That is intended to give the known suspension lug a characteristic which is especially well adapted to small deflections on one hand, and to great deflections, on the other hand. However, the proportion of the overall tensile loading which must be transmitted by tensile stress in the two equatorial zones of the elastomer body is so considerable that a suspension lug of a given size can be expected to withstand only relatively little tensile loading in continuous operation.
Another known suspension lug is discloses by German Reference No. DE 26 58 358 B2 and possesses an insert made of spring steel strip which is practically inextensible. Its distance is substantially constant both from the outer wall of the elastomer body, an outer wall which likewise is diamond-shaped with this suspension lug, and from a plurality of recesses which are left free within the area of the elastomer body as defined by the insert.
It proved that the service life of these known suspension lugs is not always satisfactory. It is, therefore, the object of the invention to improve a suspension lug of the kind specified initially, especially as regards its service life.